Multiple-sheet self-playing musical instrument.



No. 798,221. PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905. H. W. &,G. M. SHONNARD. MULTIPLE sEEET SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED M2117. 1905.

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I Y Ma gttomwn UNITED STATES HAROLD W. SHONNARD, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AND CLARENCE PATENT OFFICE.

M. SHONNARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO SAID HAROLD IV.

SH ONNARD.

MULTIPLE-SHEET SELF-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed January 1'7, 1905. Serial No. 241,447.

To all w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that we, HAROLD W. SHON- NARD, residing in East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, and CLARENoE M. SHoNNARD, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented a certain new and use- I ful Improvement in Multiple-SheetSelfazine and the tracker-board of any form of pneumatic instrument. Fig. 2 is a like view atthe opposite end of the same. Fig. 3 is a top View, partly in section, on the line 00 m in Fig. 1 of a single sheet-holder shown in position over the tracker-board. Fig. 4 is a top view of a preferred clutch employed in this device, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof on the line y y. 1

At 1 is shown a perforated tracker-board, such as is employed on many forms of wellknown pneumatic self-playing instruments. This tracker-board is arranged to slide up and down between guides 2, being lifted by one end of a lever 3, pivoted at 4 and locked in operative position by the catch 5, which is releasable by pressing the key 6. The musicsheets 7 are separately supported and moved by separate holders, each comprising the usual pair of parallel rollers 8 and 9. These holders are all carried together in mutually parallel relation between the two magazinedisks 10 and 11, in which the rollers 8 and 9 are journaled. The bearings of the rollers at each disk occupy the angles of a polygon, and thus these rollers may be said to be placed in prismatic arrangement between the disks.

Outside of the disk 10 each roller carries a gear-wheel. The larger gear 12 is preferably on the roller 8, while the smaller gear 13 is fast on the shaft of the roller 9. The disks 10 and 11 are supported in any desired manner to permit of their rotation by the handle 14 or otherwise. The ends of the roller-shafts outside of the disk 11 are provided with brakewheels 15, and for each sheet and its rollers is provided a separate brake-shoe 16, having two concave bearing-surfaces fitting, respectively, the two brake-wheels 15. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) As shown, at the lowermost brake-shoe in Fig. 2 when in playing position the shoe is lifted off of the wheels 15 by an appropriate bracket 17 on the end of the tracker-board, in 5 which position a pin 18 on said bracket enters an appropriate cavity in the shoe 16 and prevents any turning of the disks 10 11 during operation of the device. The spring 19 tends constantly to apply the brake-shoe l6 and also 7 O to depress the tracker-board. Outside of the disk 10 the tracker-board carries brackets 20 and 21 on its opposite faces. In bracket 21 is journaled a short power-shaft 22, and in the bracket 20 is journaled a like shaft 23. The shaft 22 carries on its outer end the loose sprocket-wheel 24 and fast pulley 25, while on its inner end is sleeved the small loose gearwheel 26, adapted to drive the gear 12 through an idler. On the outer end of the shaft 23 is fixed the small sprocket-wheel 27, and on its inner end is placed the larger gear-wheel 28, adapted to engage with the gear 13. The two sprocket-wheels are united by a sprocketchain 29. Either the sprocket-wheel 2A or 5 the gear-wheel 26 can be operatively connected to the driving-shaft 22 in a well-known manner by a sliding clutch keyed on the shaft and engaging with appropriate clutch members adapted to turn one or the other of these wheels. 9 Certain peculiarities of this clutch adapting it to the specific use herein made of it are shown in Figs. 41211161 5. Here the sliding member of the clutch is shown to comprise a central core 30, keyed to the shaft 22, on the outer ends of which are enlarged toothed portions 31. Between the enlargements is the loose sleeve 32, carrying pins 33 3 1, respectively engaged by bearings on the two arms of the shifting-fork 35. These pins are made suf- I00 ficiently long to prevent disengagement with the fork when the tracker-board with its gears and clutch are moved up and down by the lever 3. The shifting-fork 35 is on a bellcrank lever pivoted at 36, whose second arm 5 is controlled by the handle 37 or otherwise,

as desired. The electric motor 38 or any other desired motive device operates a belt 39 to run the pulley 25.

The mode of operation is as follows: The tracker-board 1 and attached parts being lowered sufficiently to clear rollers 8 and 9, the chosen tune is brought into position by rotating the disks 10 and 11 by means of the handle 1&. The correct position for each sheet is made sensible to the hand by notches 4:0 in the disk 10, into which a small wheel 11 is pressed by a spring 4:2 as each notch passes under it. The proper sheet 7being in position, the outer end of the lever 3 is pushed down under the beak of the catch 5, thus raising the trackerboard to the position shown in Fig. 1. Here the brake-shoe 16 is raisedand the pin 18 inserted, as above described, while the gear 26 is in mesh with its idler and the gear 13 is engaged with 28. The handle 37 being pulled, the sliding clutch 31 brings the gear 26 into rigid rotary connection with the shaft 22. The switch 13 (or other means)then starts the motor and the roller 8 proceeds to wind upon itself the perforated sheet 7, drawing said sheet over the tracker 1 and producing the music in a well-known manner. WVhen the end of a tune is reached, the clutch 31 is reversed and the sprocket-wheels act through the gear 28 to rewind the music-sheet onto roller 9. Then the motor is stopped or the key 6 is pressed, causing the tracker-board to drop, or both operations are effected. \Vhen the tracker-board drops, the brake 16 is ap plied, thus preventingloosening oraecidental displacement of the music-sheet. The disks are then free to be brought into any desired position.

hat We claim is 1. In a self-playing musical instrument, a tracker-board movable as a whole, a plurality of perforated music-sheets separate supports for said sheets arranged permanently parallel to each other and a carrier for said supports adapted to move the same past said tracker; board, each always parallel to itself and (o said tracker-board, substantially as described.

2. In a self-playing musical instrument, a tracker-board movable as a whole, a rotary magazine, a number of perforated musicsheets and pairs of rollers for said sheets having their axes of revolution situated in prismatic arrangement in said magazine, substantially as described.

3. In a self-playing musical instrument, a tracker-board movable as a whole, a pair of rotary disks, pairs of rollers between said disks and journaled in them and a separate music-sheet carried by each pair of rollers, substantially as described.

4. In a self-playing musical instrument, a movable tracker-board, a magazine for musicsheets comprising a number of pairs of rollers in combination with bearing means for the opposite ends of said rollers, said bearing means being movable while keeping each roller parallel in each of its positions to all its other positions, substantially as described.

5. In a self-playing musical instrument, a number of pairs of rollers and music-sheets thereon; in combination with a tracker-board and means for moving said pairs of rollers always parallel to said tracker-board, substantially as described.

6. In a magazine for music-sheets, two parallel side pieces, pairs of rollers having bearings therein, brake-wheels on said rollers and automatically-applied brake-shoes carried on one of said sides and adapted to bear on said Wheels, substantially as described.

7. In a magazine for music-sheets, two parallel side pieces, pairs of rollers journalcd therein and a brake-wheel on each roller; in combination with a reciprocating brake-shoe on one of said sides having two curved bearing-surfaces adapted to rub on said two wheels and means for applying said shoe to said wheels, substantially as described.

8. In a self-playing musical instrument, a pair of rollers, a brake therefor, a reciproeating tracker-board and means moving with said tracker-board for afi'ecting the operation of said brake. 4

9. In a self-playing musical instrument, a pair of rollers, a brake therefor and a movable tracker-board adapted to push said brake out of operative position when itself moved into position for operation, substantially as described. I

10. In a selfqplaying musical instrument, a r novable magazine for music-sheets, provided at intervals with engaging means; in combination with a reciprocating tracker-board and means carried thereby for cooperating with said engaging means on the magazine to lock the same during operation, substantially as described. 11. A movable magazine for music-sheets, rollers thereon, and brake-shoes for said rollers having locking cavities; in combination with a reciprocating controlling means for a self playing musical instrument carrying means adapted to simultaneously lift said brake-shoes and engage with said cavities.

122. Two rotatable disks, rollers journaled between them, driving-gears on said rollers outside of one disk and brake-wheels on said rollers outside of the other disk; in combination with brake-shoes carried outside of said second disk and springs tending to force said shoes against said wheels, substantially as described.

13. In a self-playing musical instrument, a tracker-board movable as a whole,a plurality of music-sheets and means for carrying said sheets adapted to rotate about an axis parallel to said tracker-board, substantially as described.

/ 14. In combination witha plurality of persition .when the tracker-board is moved away lforated music sheets, operating supports from said rollers, substantially as described. 45

therefor and a carrier for moving said sheets 19. A perforated music-sheet, feed-rollers and supports each as a whole; a trackertherefor and gears for driving said rollers; in

5 board movable into and out of contact with combination with a reciprocating trackersaid music-sheets successively, substantially board and drivinggears attached thereto as described. adapted to move into and out of engagement 5 15. In a self-playing musical instrument, with said roller-gears, substantiallyas deand in combination with a perforated musicscribed.

sheet and means for operative movement 20. A perforated music-sheet, rollers therethereof, which means is arranged for movefor capable of movement as a whole, separate ment as a whole always parallel to itself; a gears on each roller, a reciprocating trackerreciprocating tracker board movable as a board adapted to move in between said rollers whole substantially at right angles to the path against said sheet and separate driving-gears 15 of movement of said sheet and its support at attached to opposite sides of said trackertheir operative position, substantially as deboard and engaging on one position of said scribed. board with said gears on said rollers, sub- 16. In combination with a plurality of perstantially as described. forated music sheets, operating supports 21. In a self-playing musical instrument, a

20 therefor and acarrier for moving said sheets tracker-board, a number of music-sheets, a and supports each as a Whole; a trackerpair of rollers for each, a holder for said board movable as a whole and a locking derollers adapted to move the same past said vice for said carrier operated by movement tracker-board and means for imparting a sufof said tracker-board, substantially as deficient relatively reciprocating movement of 5 scribed. said tracker-board to said holder to cause the 17. In a self-playing musical instrument, a top of the tracker-board to assume at will a perforated music-sheet, a trackerboard, position within the space between a pair of guides wherein said board is arranged to slide, rollers or outside of said space, substantially a pivoted lever for moving said board in said as described. 3 guides and holding it in operative contact 2 22. In a self-playing musical instrument,a with said sheet and a catch to secure said letracker-board, aplurality of perforated musicver and maintain operative position of the sheets, separate supports for said sheets a1 tracker-board, substantially as described. ranged permanently parallel to each other and 18. In a self-playing musical instrument, a to said tracker-board, and a carrier for said 35 perforated music-sheet, feed-rollers therefor supports adapted to move the same past said and means for moving said rollers into and tracker-board always parallel to itself and to ,out of operative position; in combination with said tracker-board, substantially as described.

$212213;tttliiitiltittg132E525? 3.113 g lggggpg ggg g g- 4 rollers so connected to said tracker-board as J J to move into position for operation of the Witnesses:

rollers when the tracker-board is moved to- H. S. MAOKAYE,

ward said rollers and out of said operative po- FLORENCE PICK. 

